A New Look at Older Spaces

Concerned that public spaces had become a little too “well-loved,” five years ago several Trustees set out to revitalize the Tea Room, the Rectory living room, the Pruden drawing rooms, and the Well. The recent revitalization of the Large Drawing Room completes “the Pruden Project,” thanks to a gift from Trustee Robin Peake Stuart ’69. When it comes to the campus, “taking care of what we have is a first order of business” for our Trustees, says Chief Advancement Officer Christine Knight.

Fortunately for Chatham Hall and its students this view is shared broadly by the School community, and the generosity of many thoughtful donors - including the girls themselves - has brought new glory to treasured older spaces. 

In 2019-2020, the Class of 2019, in what Knight celebrates as “an amazing first step in their philanthropy journey,” pledged to devote the proceeds from their fundraisers to begin the multi-phase project of revitalizing the Niche, the student lounge area in the basement of Dabney Hall. The Class of 2020 joined in with their class gift.

For Trustee Judy Carter ’63, the successful renovation of the Chatham Hall front entrance, completed in 2016, served as further inspiration for a generous gift that brought the School’s frequently used but less stately Rt. 57 entrance up to a new standard of refinement.

These campus improvements are not one-offs. They signal a commitment to mission and mark critical steps in a comprehensive plan of care, renovation, and clever adaptive reuse of the School’s irreplaceable spaces.

For more information about how you can play a role in Chatham Hall’s next phase of campus improvements, please contact Christine Knight, chief advancement officer, at cknight@chathamhall.org.

Originally published in the fall 2020 issue of the Chat.